Decorating the Goldfish Bowl
by hardly loquacious
Summary: Danny decides to decorate Gail's bowl with some festive decorations and a little surprise.


A/N: For forthecoast, who asked for West Wing fic, CJ/Danny, for the holidays. I gave it a go. Never really written for this show (or pairing) seriously, but I do love them. Hopefully it worked out, because Sorkin's always intimidating.

xxx

Decorating the Goldfish Bowl

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"_What are you doing?"_

Danny turned, startled by the voice behind him. Then he grinned at the concern (slash panic) so clearly displayed on her face. "Decorating Gail's bowl," he calmly informed the woman with whom he now shared custody of a goldfish. "I noticed that you hadn't gotten around to it this year yet."

CJ paused briefly, trying to squash the sudden feelings of guilt, "Well, I've been busy..."

"Plus, it was always Carol who did the actual decorating," Danny supplied.

CJ tried desperately to think of something to say to that. "Uh..."

Danny laughed. "CJ, you forget, I know you. And I know what your old job meant. What`s more, I understand it. It`s fine."

"You saw four other Press Secretaries before me?" CJ murmured.

He grinned. "Yup, but you were always my favourite."

She smirked. "Well, I'm the only one you bought a goldfish at least."

"Well, I heard that you liked them," he told her. "I can't believe Gail's lived for as long as she has."

"I took care of her," CJ assured him. "I always took care of her."

Danny wrapped an arm around her waist. "I know."

"It's not that I didn't _want_ to decorate," CJ explained. "I _like_ the decorations."

He laughed. "Oh, I'm well aware that nothing would have been decorated without your support. It's why I didn't think you'd mind if I put my own spin on things this year."

CJ eyed the bowl sceptically. "As long as you're not hurting Gail."

Danny looked affronted. "As if I would ever hurt Gail," he scoffed.

CJ grinned at his obvious offense. She'd always found his righteous indignation oddly attractive. "Not deliberately, I suppose."

"I'm perfectly capable of taking care of a goldfish!" Danny insisted.

"Yeah, that's why I've had custody all these years," CJ snarked.

"I travelled a lot for work!" Danny objected, his voice rising in pitch now, as well as volume.

"Unlike my job, which was a regular nine to five," CJ replied dryly.

"But you had a staff," Danny muttered.

"Who knew exactly what I'd do to them if anyone hurt my fish," CJ said, poking him in the side. "So keep that in mind, Daniel."

He smirked, and opened his mouth to say something when she spoke again.

"Hey," she murmured, leaning in for a closer look. "Is that..."

"Mistletoe," Danny confirmed. "I thought it was festive."

"Isn't it also, you know, _poisonous?_" CJ asked, aghast.

"I think that's just the berries," Danny replied blithely.

"You mean those little white things right there?" CJ demanded, pointing into the bowl.

"That's to humans though," he clarified, eyes twinkling. "I don't think the effects on goldfish have ever been rigorously tested."

"Yeah, well I don't want to start today!" CJ shrieked.

"Also, it's plastic," Danny added, before she could snatch the plant away.

"What?" CJ asked, her hand stalling in midair.

"Plastic," Danny repeated. "I told you, I wouldn't ever hurt Gail. Although your faith in me on that score is really quite touching CJ..."

"Shut up, Fishboy," she muttered, feeling her cheeks grow slightly warm. "How was I supposed to know it was plastic?"

"Well, looking at it's a bit of a giveaway," Danny teased.

"I have a degree in communications," she reminded him. "I'm not a botanist."

"You helped run the country!" Danny shot back, unable to resist.

"And oddly enough, recognizing plastic imitation plants didn't come up once in eight years," CJ replied dryly.

"Technically if they're plastic, they're imitation be default," Danny couldn't help pointing out.

"Shut up," she muttered again. "Writers... Anyway, what's the point of putting mistletoe in the bowl? It'll just make Gail feel lonely when she realizes she has no one to kiss."

"Funny you should mention that," Danny replied. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about."

CJ turned to him, a smile playing about the corners of her mouth, "Danny?"

He pulled a second plastic bag into sight. "CJ, meet Gordon."

CJ laughed at the sight of the second fish. "Now how did you manage to find another fish sales guy who named your fish?"

"How do you know it wasn't the same guy?" Danny asked.

She raised her eyebrows, "We moved halfway across the country in the interim?"

"Anyway, I named this one," he admitted.

"I don't know, are you sure we're ready for this?" she asked, her smile growing. "A second fish?"

He matched her smile with one of his own. "I think so," he told her softly. "Expand our family a little."

She bit her lip and glanced at the floor. Then she looked up at him again, and Danny had his answer (not that it surprised him). He slipped the still-closed bag into the water. "I'll just let Gordon adjust to things before I let him out."

CJ leaning slightly against the man beside her.

He wrapped an arm around her again. "How was your doctor's appointment by the way? Everything alright?"

CJ bit her lip. "You know how you were talking about expanding our little family...

He turned towards her, eyes wide. "_CJ...__"_

She didn't even try to contain her smile. "How do you feel about a non-aquatic addition this time?"

xxx

The end


End file.
